“Delivering Design Power” – Renewables First Streamlines Product Development Process with Autodesk

Phil Black - PII Editor 05/01/2012

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Hydro Power Provider Draws on Rich Functionality of the Software to Achieve Design Efficiencies

Renewables First, UK-based consultancy and provider of hydro power and hydro electric systems, has joined the Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program and standardised on Autodesk software solutions. This has enabled it to streamline its product development process, while driving productivity and design efficiencies.

Renewables First, which develops small scale hydro power systems, uses Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD Civil 3D civil engineering design software to model all the constituent parts of these systems – from structural intakes to civil works piping and turbine systems.

Marc Sheikh, senior engineer, Renewables First, said, “we model everything in Inventor and then export it in the form of DWG files into AutoCAD where the models can be used in conjunction with architects’ drawings.

“We have been impressed with the rich functionality and ease-of-use of the Autodesk software solutions and their ability to support seamless integration, particularly between AutoCAD and Inventor,” he adds. “We have also been actively using the latest version of AutoCAD Civil 3D civil engineering software, which provides more detail and supports a greater level of design complexity than any solution of this type we have used before.”

In addition to developing its products, Renewables First is using Autodesk Inventor to deliver high end visualisation in real time. The images output by this process have proved critical in achieving consensus with clients or in presenting applications to environment agencies or planners, both key in enabling Renewables First to achieve its strategic goals.

Renewables First also benefits from the industry’s familiarity with Autodesk software. “The architects and surveyors we work with typically use Autodesk solutions and often deploy 3D models,” adds Sheikh. “Being able to share a design platform with them helps drive productivity and project efficiencies.”

Most of Renewables First’s design team was familiar with Autodesk software and quick to get ‘up and running’ with the new solutions. Autodesk conducted over- the-phone training to further streamline the process. Software support is provided by Autodesk reseller, Cadassist.